Centenary of Carrigboy (Durrus, formerly Four Mile Water) National School, 1915-2015.
The appendix of the book contains a listing of pupils from 1915 to 2014, by Register Roll Number, name, townland.
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In earlier times a Bardic School existed in Kilcrohane which was famous throughout Ireland. This catered for elite, giving training in poetry, genealogy and law. It is not clear what was the extent of the education provided to ordinary children. Under English rule, state policy was anglicisation and protestantism which were enforced by the Penal Laws. The relevant Act of William III of 1695 said that no person whatsoever of the popish religion shall publicly teach school or instruct youth in learning. This was clearly disregarded as is evident by the records. The Church of Ireland was given statutory responsibility to provide elementary parish schools however the limited efforts in this regard were linked to prosyletisation.
In 1824 there were 4 schools in Durrus, two of which were Protestant and 4 in Kilcrohane, teachers included James Kingston and Thomas Good, Rooska who left before 1834. In 1814 in Carrigbui Jer Kenny taught in a school located in the Catholic Church and he was replaced by John McCarthy who had a school in Kiloveenooge. Of the Kilcrohane schools two were in the village one run by Charles McCarthy and one by Richard Sullivan occasionally. Tim McCarthy (Tadgh na Gaeilge) may have had a school in Ballycomane Upper as there is a comhlacht (ruin) on the land of the Hickeys formerly Danny Donovans which is known as Tadgh na Gealai. Jer Donovan taught at Rossnacaragh from time to time. There is a school listed at Sea Lodge in 1826 with 23 boys and 18 girls. In 1833 Father Quinn said there were 11 schools but only 7 were noted.
The Commission of Public Instruction, Ireland, produced a report in 1835 setting out on a parish basis the provision of local education. The following are the details for ‘Durruskilcrohane’:
Female school kept by Eliza Daly with an annual grant from the British and Irish Ladies School Society of £12, it had 83 females, average daily attendance of 55 and increasing. Instruction consisted of reading, writing, arithmetic, needlework, the scriptures, and Church catechism
Day school kept by James Kingston (he is described a RC elsewhere), with an annual grant from the Association for Discontinuing Vice of £8; house, rent free, and an acre of ground from the vicar. 30 males average daily attendance 22 stationary. Instruction consisted of reading, writing, arithmetic, the scriptures, and Church catechism to the Protestants
Day school kept by Samuel Hatfield, subscriptions from the Vicar and others and the payment by the children of 1s. 6d.a quarter, males 29, females 16. Instruction consisted of reading, writing, arithmetic, the scriptures, and Church catechism, established June 9, 1834.
Day school kept by Timothy Daly, an annual grant from the London Hibernian Society of 1s. Per quarter for each child, and payments by the children of 1s per quarter, established 1832. 91 males and 11 females average daily attendance 65 increasing. Instruction consisted of reading, writing, arithmetic, and the scriptures. This is probably the school at Seaview grant aided by the Society for the Education of the Poor in Ireland in 1821. Timothy Daly, a Catholic was 24 in 1824. Most of their schools in West Cork had Protestant teachers and the patrons were the local Church of Ireland clergy. In this case the patron was Nathaniel Evanson.
National School kept by John McCarthy, annual grant from the Board of £8, and payment of 6d. a quarter by the children. 61 males 39 females average daily attendance 55 increasing. Instruction consisted of reading, writing, arithmetic, and the Roman Catholic Catechism
Female school kept by Margaret Forbes, annual grant from the London Ladies Society of £12, 14 males 72 females average daily attendance 35 increasing. Instruction consisted of reading, writing, arithmetic, needlework, and the scriptures.
Hedge School kept by Thomas Toomey, payment by the children, from 1s. 6d. to 3s. a quarter, males 58 females 10 summer attendance 40. Instruction consisted of reading, writing, arithmetic, and the Roman Catholic Catechism
Sunday school books from the Sunday School Society males 25 females 55 average 40 increasing, the scriptures
The National school system was begun in 1831.
Catholic Four Mile Water (now Carrigboy)
Application by Fr. Quinn 1830 for registration Father Quinn’s application 16th November 1830 ED1/13/74/2, signed by for Roman Catholics Richard O’Donovan, Timothy O’Donovan, Richard Tobin, Edmond Tobin, Daniel Daly, Richard O’Donovan, John Murphy, John Carthy, Thomas Cormack?, Elias Roycroft, Andrew Caverly, Rickard Caverly, Protestants: E. Evanson, Richard Lewis Blair, Thomas Ferguson, Thomas Duklow, Charles Ducklow, John Ducklow.
Rev Alcock was approached but refused support. He features in proselytising and attempting to collect tithes by having his proctors seize Father Quinn’s bed while mass was being said in his house. This was stopped at the insistence of protestant neighbours.
ED2/207 Folio 82 Four Mile Water Girls, continues Folio 83 Vol 111 Cork
There was an application to register the Female school in 1853, 1860 and 1865 which succeeded but the school was struck off in 1880 and later restored. The file commences 1861 and lists the teacher Alice Beizlie and covers a series of inspections the result of one in 1874 was a 5% reduction in fees due to the low proficiency in the junior class. Pupils numbers reanged from 55 in 1860 to 84 in 1865.
An anonymous letter was received by the Commissioners in February 1882 complaining that one of the teachers Miss Gilhooley was living over a public house contrary to regulations. She responded by saying that her mother had purchased the premises and she and her mother lived in a self contained apartment. This satisfied the Commissioners that there was no breach of the relevant rule 132. The matter was raided again with a signed complaint by George Vickery (Ballycomane) a devout Methodist, to the same effect but nothing resulted from this.
Alice Beizlie 1861, Julia Mahony 1865-1879, Julia Goggin 1861
Ann Moss 1866- Agnes Gilhooley 1867-1906 extended twice, J McCarthy 1875
Mary Lehane 1879, H Sweeney monitor 1880
There was an application to register the school at Four Mile Water in 1835. It was supported by a testimonial signed by 6 Protestants and 12 Catholics. It was said that the school had operated from the chapel grounds since 1814 and consisted of one room of 26×14. The teacher was John McCarthy, 16 who had no training but had the education expected ‘of a country school master’ the application succeeded and the school was regularly inspected after. Mr McCarthy did not impress and was dismissed in 1839. A trained teacher was sought but the Board was unable to provide one. Pupil numbers were 40 males in 1834 with 26 females and this had risen to 144 and 95 respectively in 1841. There was a complaint by the inspector in 1836 that religious books were used at a time of general instruction. The first manager was Rev Quinn and from 1837 to 1848 it was Dr Richard O’Donovan of Carrigbui and Bantry. The school was closed from February 1st to the 1st August 1847 during the famine and was used as a meal depot. The Male school is listed at Fourmile Water in the Commissioners Reports from 1850s with 83 males in 1857 and another school at Gurtalease. In 1868 there was an application for the payment of a salary of an assistant teacher, Mr John Leary, aged 17 years. There was no monitor, as the former monitor; John Canty resigned on September, 1868. The principal was Denis Leary who taught 3rd; class and there were 97 pupils, with an average attendance of 63.3-64.8, with 62 present on the day of inspection. The manager was Fr. O’Flynn P.P. In view of the increasing attendance the application was approved. In 1875 the teacher was paid by results (£17 5s) as well as a salary (£48) and there were 131 boys and 161 girls.
The school was one of the few in Co Cork offering science classes to 40 pupils from 1885 and from 1888 the principles of agriculture was taught both by day and in the evening. The report of 1902 said that the school was badly built and in poor repair but that Fr O’Leary the parish Priest was an energetic man and was arranging for the building of a new school. Father O’Leary proposed to build a boys and girls school together with a teacher’s residence. After some consideration Father O’Leary wrote to the Commissioners in Dublin that all the good land in Durrus was in the hands of Protestants and his members were living on the bogs and mountains. He produced figures suggesting that the rateable valuation of Protestant land was £770 marginally ahead of the Catholic figure of £750. In the end Mr Fitzgerald the Inspector agreed with him and the idea was not perused. In relation to land ownership Fr O’Leary may have been broadly correct in relation to the Bandon Estate abut elsewhere in the district there were plenty of strong Catholic farmers and the valuations would have been carried out many years before.
The new school was opened in February 1915. It consisted of two large classrooms occupied by four teachers and 123 pupils. Boys and girls were taught separately; in effect it consisted of two schools. The principal of the girl’s school was Mrs. Ellen McCarthy assisted by Mary O’Sullivan. The boy’s principal was Jeremiah Moynihan assisted by Josephine Moynihan. In 1925 the two schools were amalgamated under Michael Gallagher. It was a four teacher school until the late 1940s when due to population decline it lost a teacher and a further teacher in the 1950s. In 1982 a third teacher was added. Extensive renovations were carried out in 1866/7 and in 1998 a fourth teacher was appointed.
In the mid 1930s there were Irish classes for teenagers provided by travelling teachers. These were run in the evenings in the school are were organised with Bantry VEC some of the classes were run by Mr John J Stanton who stayed in Sullivan public house. It was common in the 19th century for teachers to start as monitors and some such as Master Hurley who started as a monitor and later taught in Kilcrohane were to go to teacher training college later.
Teachers
John McCarthy 1835-39, Edward Day 1839-, J Shea 1845, Daniel Connor 184
dismissed, John Goggin 1850 Denis Leary, 1868 John Leary, 1868- Denis Leary,
Agnes Gilhooly, 1875 P Moynihan 1894
Jeremiah P. Moynihan, (1882-1951), may have been a native of Dromore, Aughaville.
His sister Josephine assisted in the school. He was the first Principal of the Boys when it
opened in 1915. He left Carrigboy in 1924 to become principal of Rusnacahara
(Akhakista). His wife Mary O’Sullivan was a member of the family who operated the
corn mill since at least 1810. They had a family of 6 two sets of twins all boys. She
retired in 1853
Master Michael Gallagher (1899-1957), from Kilcrohane his house was opposite the church and school. He first taught in Gouladoo in 1922 and Durrus in 1924. 1912 married Miss Keane 1930s, Mrs. McCarthy, Blair’s Cove, 1912. Master Gallagher was regarded as being very talented by former pupils described as over 10 foot tall (i.e. a great guy). A former pupil Noel Hickey b 1927 recalls the first Yankee Clipper flying over Durrus to Foynes and causing great excitement, Master Gallagher took out the globe and took the class through the plane’s journey and all the implications. Teachers from the 40s to 50s were Master Gallagher and his wife, Mrs Mary Moynihan, and in the 1950s to late 60s John O’Connell and Mrs Jerry Hourihan. Mary O’Brien from the High road worked there from 1963 to 1967.
Michael Gallagher 1925-1957
Catherine F. (Mary?) 1895-1964, (formerly Miss Keane) Moynihan 1929-1953. A native
of Dublin who came to Carrigboy 1917? her widowed mother later came to Durrus
sisterall buried Durrus. She married Michael Gallagher in 1942. She retired in June
1963.
Ellen McCarthy (1880-1955), Principal of girls section of new school. A member of the
McCarthy family of Lower Letter, Kilcrohane, her husband John from the Black Gate,
Kilcriohane. They lived at Kingfisher House (formerly the Cole residence) where they
ran a farm near the entrance to Blair’s Cove. She retired in June, 1940.
L O’Sullivan 1940-1968
Catherine Gallagher 1929-1953 nee Keane
John O’Connell 1958-1991
Mrs Hourihan 1968-1992
There was a very active Bantry and Durrus Teachers Association from the 1890s which
met regularly and its deliberations feature in the local press.
When the new school opened in 1915 the register commences with 602 boys and finishes
1380 in 2014, the girls 600 to 847 in 1930 when the schools were joined, and ends in
2014
withb463 in 2014
Rossnacaheragh
In 1875 it had 136 pupils
Teacher, Mary Sullivan, Jeremiah Moynihan (married to Mary Moynihan N.T. Durrus), 1925-1947
Anne Hurley – 1951
Christopher O’Rahilly 1948-
Julia Ward 1950-
Dunbeacon
Church of Ireland Schools
These schools remained outside the National School system until later in the 19th. century and were supported by the Church Education Society, in the 1840s the Rev. Crosthwaite received support for schools from the Coast and Islands Society and this continued until towards the end of the century. The schools are mentioned in Parliamentary reports (Munster Bible Society, Kilcrohane 1821, Sea Lodge 1826) as being supported by the Society for the Discontinuance of Vice employing James Kingston in 1825 and the Munster Hibernian Society and it stated that the school was not built (this was probably a proposed school at Ahakista) in 1826/7 and there is a reference to the Rev Alcock receiving £46 towards a schoolhouse in 1839. In 1857/58 the Church Education Society (set up 1839 by the Church of Ireland) in a Parliamentary Report is listed as being involved in the Parochial school and that at Rooska.
A number of Church of Ireland/Metodist children appear in the Carrigboy Register, Edward Francis Brookes 1916, Dromreagh, Thomas and Ben McDonald, Alexandria 1915, children of Sergeant RIC, Herbie Dukelow 1934, Blairs Cove, Stephen Buckley-Jones 1963 son of Minister, Lucinda F.M. 1912, Attridge, Rossmore married Eddie Brooks, Mary 1928, Margaret 1928 Dukelow, Coolculaghta
Aughagoheen Church of Ireland
This replaced a school across the lands in Molloch to the North. It was located just off the Bog Road at the entrance to George Swantons farm. There was an application from Rev. William O’Grady on a ‘Bantry Club’ letterhead seeking the entry of the school into the National System. It had been under the Church Education Society (founded 1839) and this involvement would finish on recognition. The patrons were Rev William O’Grady and E.E. Leigh White Esq. It was proposed to carry out certain work and to provide privies. It was suggested that George Pattison aged 18.5 would be the teacher and he would have a house provided by the parish. An inspection disclosed the school hours of 10 am to 2.30 pm with religion 2-2.30. There were 15 pupils 9 males and 6 females. It was later suggested that Annie Stephens be permitted to teach she had been a monitor at Carrigbui up to 3rd. class and was in sole charge for 10 months (this may have been Durrus C of I school). She would be eligible to act as a substitute and was to go for training later. The file indicated that there was no provision to supplement the teacher’s salary and Rev O’Grady replied that the parish was very poor but later proposed to pay £10 in addition to the state salary. The teacher in any event was prepared to work without a local subvention. In the event the appointment went to Miss Susanna Perrott, aged 20 from 1 September 1902, she had trained at the Church of Ireland College at Kildare Street. The school was expected to have 29 plus pupils including 2 from Scart Catholic School which at that time had an attendance averaging between 24.9 and 38.4. After recognition the roll was 17 boys and 6 girls and the attendance ranged between 10 and 18.5. Miss Rebecca Kingston resigned as teacher from 10 March 1910, and it was suggested that the school be closed and the children go to Bantry, at a conveyance cost of £63 per annum. The Rev O’Grady appealed this on hardship grounds, pointing out that many of the children had to come up a side road. The Inspector conducted an enquiry, looking at the distances the children had to travel and their ages. In the end it was agreed that the school stay open. The family names of the children were Swanton (3 families), Love, Foley, Jagoe, Sullivan, Shannon and Deane. Miss Florence M. Clarke resigned from 28 August 1914 and Ella Newman took over (she had been a junior literary mistress in Bantry) from 8 August 1911. She had trained at St. Mary’s Shandon passed the relevant exam and was given provisional recognition from 22 October 1915, the non payment of salary while her appointment was being sanctioned caused hardship. The school closed and the vacant building was eventually purchased by Mr Swanton of Clonee in 1930 for £20 who employed Dan Brien High Road who used the stones from it to build a new farmhouse.
Teachers
- Miss Susanna Perrott, 1902 Miss Rebecca Kingston, – 1910
- Miss Jennings 1912 Miss Florence M Clarke 191?-1914
- Miss Ella Newman 1915-
List of schoolchildren at Aughagoheen school 1910
Ref: School File Series ED91600524789
Children of Young Swanton – ¼ Mile from School
Name Age
May Swanton 6 ¾ Annie 3 ¾
Joseph 10 ¼ Young 11 ¼
Michael 12 ¼
Children of James Swanton – ½ Mile from School
Name Age
Susie S wanton 5 ½ Grace Swanton 7 ¾
Mary Swanton 10 ¼
Children of J. Swanton, Clonee – 1 ½ Miles from School
Name Age
James Swanton 11 ¼ Susie Swanton 14 ½
Name Age
Annie Swanton 6 Sarah Swanton 10 ¼
Samuel Swanton 11 ¾
The Love Family
Lily Love 5 ¾ Mary A. Love 7 ¼
Francis Love 8 ¾ John Love 12 ¼
Cathy Love 13 ¾ Michael Love 15 ½
Charles Foley 6 ¼
May J. Jagoe 8 ¾ Willie Jagoe 15
Thomas Sullivan 12 ¾ Michael Sullivan 11 ¾) 1 1/8 miles through the fields in good weather
Dynah Sullivan 12 ¾) Willie Shannon 15 ¾)
Nellie Shannon 14 ¾) James Deane
The ages of the children and the distance from the school were given, as there was an enquiry by the School Inspector as to whether the school should be closed down, and the children transferred to Bantry, and as to whether this would constitute hardship. The ultimate conclusion was that the school should remain open, in view of the potential hardship to the children. There was a school in Moloch supported by the Church Education Scciety and there are references to it in 1835 (as Clonee) in the application for registration of the Four Mile Water School and in the Rev Cole’s history of the dioceses in the 1860s. before this the site is visible from the Bog Road north towards high ground, this was the old road to Bantry.
.Church of Ireland Durrus
The original school at Clashadoo was built c 1780; it is mentioned in a Parliamentary report of 1821 where a grant to The Association for Discontinuing Vice for the school is recorded at £15 and £30 the following year, in 1821 there were 49 Protestant children and 3 Catholics. In 1875 there were 60 pupils. The school was taken into the National School system in 1885 following an application by the Rev Pratt. He stated that the school dated from 1830 and it had been supported by the Church Education Society, The Ladies Hibernian Society and The Islands and Coast Society. They collectively provided a sum of £24 a year towards the support of the school which would cease if the school was recognised. The building was to be refurbished and had been used as a school as well as for Temperance Society meeting and well as those of the Young Men’s Association. There were 50 families within a radius of half a mile. There had been an inspection in 1883 and of the 50 pupils on the roll only 33 were in attendance it was said to be a wet day. Rev Pratt had a temporary teacher lined up, Richard Johnson who was appointed from 1883 being 22. He was holding a place for John Pattison who at the time was teaching in Curaheane in Bandon.
There were inspections over the years and the school and its teacher fared poorly. The building was in need of major work and the inspectors were not impressed with Mr Pattison. On one inspection at 10.10 am there were only 12 children present and in February 1897 there were no books. It culminated in a fine of £2 to Mr Pattison for persistent neglect of duty. Rev Pratt countered that Mr Pattison was a very good master at teaching religion and the school had won 56 prizes in the recent diocesan exams. The inspector noted that the Rev Pratt was old and feeble. In 1907 John Pattison was teaching with his wife Mary and an unpaid monitor. The dissatisfaction of the inspectors continued and resulted in the dismissal of Mr Pattison and he was replaced in 1908 by his son who was trained in the Kildare Place Society School. Rev Levis in his defence said that there were no compaints from parents he was advanced in years and in 1903 the was an epidemic of whooping cough and in 1904 of measles. In one incident in 1912 a parent reported him for sending a child home. This resulted in a full enquiry which cleared the teacher. The particular child and other siblings in the family were constantly late and the teacher was attempting to impose discipline. In the course of the enquiry it transpired that he used no corporal punishment. Some years before the Methodist school at Moreagh closed and the pupils transferred to Clashadoo, a complete new school was mooted but it was to take until 1937 for it to be provided.
- A diphtheria epidemic occurred when several children died including three of the Shannon children (William, Eve and Annie Olive) from Brahalish and Percy Dukelow from Dromtaniheen in June 1937. The new school cost £1,600 at Ahagouna and opened in 1937. It was the first Church of Ireland school opened in the Free State. In the mid 1930s some of the children came to the school barefoot and around this time a school dental service commenced but was rudimentary with the extracted teeth thrown into a bucket in the hall. The site was donated by Tom (Mort) Dukelow; he was married to the former teacher. There were 60 pupils and a second teacher was employed. In the 1940s drinking water was brought by the children by bucket from the nearby farmhouse of Fanny and Johony Shannon, presumably the main water supply came in later. This school in turn has been replaced by a new school on an adjoining site acquired from John McCarthy; who bought the farm from Mike Hegarty who acquired it from Tom (Murt) Dukelow. Tenders were advertised in 1938 to transport 10 children 24 miles. In 1947-50 school transport was provided by Mrs. Lottie Dukelow by pony and trap, earlier her husband Bert Dukelow provided transport with a horse and trap for the children on the south side of the bay. His daughter Kathleen Dukelow recalls a very high standard of teaching from Mrs Dukelow and Mr Blennerhasset. She recalls Shakespeare being taught by performance with Monsie Evans (later to die in World War 2 in a submarine) playing Shylock. There were 24 on the roll in 1948. This and the school in Rooska were very effective in promoting literacy as evidenced by the 1901 Census. Some of the children such as the Shannons (Micks) came to school barefoot in the 1930s. It is remarkable that at the time those over 60 at the time of Church of Ireland origin are almost universally literate where their Catholics counterparts are predominately illiterate. An ad for a teacher in 1953 gave the roll as 16 children. In the early 1960s the rector Rev Buckley-Jones gave carpentry classes to the boys.
Teachers Clashadoo/Ahagouna
- James Kingston, 1835 Mr Robert Rice 1875 John Johnson 1883 John Pattison 1885-1908 John Pattison (son) 1908-
- Mrs. Agnes Dukelow, (nee Crighton from Cork her father was a Scottish confectioner), married to Tom (Murt) Dukelow, Clashadoo, 1914-1933.
- Líam Blennerhassett, Principal (from Ballymagelliot, Co Kerry, later left for Ballymodan, Bandon) 1933-1946, member parish Council during Emergency. Strong emphasis on teaching Irish. General Blennerhasset family in North Kerry long active in National affairs.
- Netta Swanton, Assistant Miss Daunt, Assistant Pearl Lynch, Principal
- Miss Desmond 1954 Miss Moore, from Skibbereen went to Bandon Grammar School emigrated to England after marrying a local man Miss Spillane May 1956 from Drimoleague
- Closed 2 years
- Miss Pollard (Now Mrs. O’Neill) from July 1964, from North Kerry relations with extended Blennerhasset family.
- …
- …
- Miss Anderson
- Pupils St. James School mid 1930s
- Jim Dukelow (Coomkeen), Sonny and Willie (RIP) Hosford (Kealties) d.2006, Jim and Dick (Australia) Evans, Walter Brooks (Dromreagh) Nursing Home Aughadown, Alec son of Tom Dukelow joined RAF shot down and killed over Germany, his sisters Sina RIP, Nancy (Dublin), Sonny Pyburn (RIP) his sisters Georgina, Vera, Bella (Mrs. Splaine Belgooly) all Dunbeacon, Cissie Shannon, Herbie Dukelow (RIP), Kathleen Dukelow,
Rooska School
- The school is listed in 1821 as being associated with the Munster Bible Society and having 23 boys and 18 girls. There was an application by the Rev. Pratt for the school to be recognised as a National School in 1898. The file in the National Archives sheds light on the old school which according to Rev. Pratt was built around 1822/1823. Captain White gave a lease for ever over a free site whereabouts of lease unknown, the informant being the previous rector Rev. Alcock. The school was inspected by the District Inspector Mr. R.W. Hughes on the 9th February 1898. He reported the building in fair condition, one room, no privies, stone and mortar, slated and drew attention to some improvements needed. The local schools were Gurtalasa, 1 mile 70 attending, manager Rev D. Foley P.P., Four Mile Water 3 miles males 68 females 55 Manager Rev. D. Foley P.P., Durrus 2.5 miles Manager Rev. Pratt 40 pupils. Other schools shown on a plan were Bantry, Whiddy, Rosnacaharagh and Morreagh (Methodist Durrus). Normally a school would have to be more than 3 miles from another school, but in this case the application was approved from the 1st January 1898, in the exceptional circumstances of the mountain range preventing children from attending. It was stated that the teacher had been Mr. John Wolfe who had taught to great satisfaction for over 50 years but was now old and infirm. He had two sons who were teachers, one, John C. Wolfe was to teach in the school from 1898. He was 36, had trained at Marlborough Street in Dublin qualifying in 1881/2 and had previously taught at Rossharbour, Co. Fermanagh up to December 1897. The school had been supported by the Island and Coast Society £20, The Church Education Society £7, The Diocesan Board £5 and the Manager £3. This support was to continue. The roll was showed 12, females 6, on the day of inspection males 10 females 6. The average attendance for the previous period was August 10.8, September 12.1, October 3.3 (measles), November 9.6, December 13.3, January 15.2. The manager felt the numbers would continue to rise and that a number of Protestant orphans were expected. Mr. Hughes, in accordance with regulations, had consulted with Canon O’Grady and the approval of this on the file is struck out and it is stated that he had written to the P.P. who did not reply but the Curate in Bantry had no objection. Friction developed between Mr. John Wolfe and parents and he resigned in 1903, he was replaced by Mr. Pattison (Clashadoo) an uncertified teacher as a locum tenens. His appointment was approved from The 4th May, 1903, he being uncertified in the exceptional circumstances as the manager Rev. Pratt was unable to secure a certified teacher.
- Rooska Teachers
- John Woulfe Snr. 1848-1897 (b.1823, married Elizabeth Cole, father weaver, servant of Durrus Glebe, 1849, his own father was a labourer)
- John Woulfe Jnr, 1898-1903 George Pattison 1903-
- Miss C. Crighton (sister of Miss A. Crighton, The Schoolhouse, Clashadoo)
Cashelane Church of Ireland School
The school was initially supported by the Church education society. There was an application by the Rev. R. H. Carroll, the manager of Altar rectory, Toormore, for a grant to build a new school. This was in his name, and that of Rev. J.T. Levis of Durrus and Rev. Brady of Ballydehob. The existing school was unsuitable due to distance for pupils. The school would have 30 children mixed; the it had been inoperative since 1902, as a teacher could not be located. In 1902 the average attendance was 10.7-11. The nearby Catholic School at Dunbeacon had an average attendance of 54.8-68.3, and included 11 Established Church children, and had an assistant teacher. It was expected that the enrolment of the new school would be 21 males and 13 females. There were no objections to the development from Rev O’ Callaghan P.P but Fr. O’Connor whose school at Dunbeacon would lose 11 children, objected as did Rev W. Caldwell, the Morreagh manager of the Methodist School. The previous teacher Mrs. Griffin resigned in December 1902 and the school was technically taken off the school register from that date, to be restored on completion of the new school on July 1906. Ms. Trinder, who had qualified from the Church of Ireland College in 1894, and had taught at Kilcoe/Corrovally was appointed and the new manager was Rev. A.J. Brady, as the school was now in his parish. In October 1906 the attendance was 10 boys and 10 girls out of a possible enrolment of 22.
Teachers
- Mrs. Griffin, -1902 Ms. Trinder, 1906-
Methodist
The school was at Morreagh. There was an application to have the school registered as a National School in 1882 and 1883. The site of the school and teacher’s residence was leased from Richard Tonson Evans the 1st May 1862 by way of lease of three lives, Arthur Jagoe son of William Jagoe, Robert Evans Hadden, son of David Hadden Alexander Bailie McKee son of Thomas Andrew McKee, Wesleyan Minister and the term of 61 years from the death of the latest survivor of the lives aforesaid. The interest was transferred to the Trustees, William Jagoe, Thomas Alexander McKee, Samuel Dunlop, James Swanton, Robert Ballen, John Hunter Harte, John Atkins, John Hamilton Bryan, and a moiety of rent was paid by G.R. Wedgood, 20, Mount Charles, Belfast.
In 1875 the school had 26 pupils. It was proposed to amalgamate the school in 1907 with the Established Church (Church of Ireland) school in Durrus. Even though the school was under Methodist management only 4 of the 30 pupils was Methodist the remainder Church of Ireland, at that stage Durrus School had 40 pupils and could accommodate the extra children. The other schools in the area were Cashelane, Ahogoheen, Durrus all Church of Ireland and Four Mile Water Roman Catholic. There was dissatisfaction by the inspectors with Mr Boyd’s service and he resigned in 1907.
The school was removed from the school register from the resignation of Mr. Daniel Boyd the teacher, who emigrated to Canada. The manager was the Rev. Cathcart who replaced Rev. Caldwell. The school was struck off the roll by 1909.
Teachers
Mr Cole 1875
Mr. Daniel Boyd to 1907
Church Society Schools
There were schools at Knockroe, Gearhies and Gortalassa in the care of Irish speaking teachers including Seamus O Suilleabhain of the Ui Shuilleabhain Fachdnaidh at Bonane near Kenmare. He was writing poetry in Irish in 1841 defending the Rev Fisher of Kilmoe (Goleen/Teampall na mBocht) It is believed that the Irish Society was active in this regard. An annual Bazaar was held by Lady Bandon in Castle Bernard to fund the schools and in 1865 this raised £350.
West Cork History 